


Mucked Up

by ragewerthers



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: F3S, Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Noct and Prompto learn, Whump, cuteness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-15
Updated: 2020-10-15
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:35:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27018892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ragewerthers/pseuds/ragewerthers
Summary: While on a frog hunting mission for Sania, Noct gets into a little trouble with the bog and with Ignis.Will he be able to fix this?Or did he really muck things up?
Relationships: Gladiolus Amicitia & Prompto Argentum & Noctis Lucis Caelum & Ignis Scientia, Gladiolus Amicitia/Ignis Scientia
Comments: 10
Kudos: 43





	Mucked Up

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bgn846](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bgn846/gifts).



> Hello all!
> 
> This fic was created from another lovely prompt from my friend bgn846! She asked for:
> 
> 'Noct and Prompto go frog hunting for Sania. One of them gets stuck in the mud. Hilarity ensues.'
> 
> This fic grew sentient about halfway through and went in a different direction then I expected, but I hope everyone can enjoy the silliness, the whump and the fluff that will ensue!
> 
> You can also find me on tumblr at: ragewerthers.tumblr.com
> 
> Enjoy! :D

The squelch of mud beneath their boots made Noct’s nose crinkle slightly.

“Why do Sania’s frogs  _ always _ have to thrive in the muddiest part of the swamp?” he grumbled, slapping at his neck as another mosquito buzzed and landed on him, intent on stealing more of his royal blood.

Little bastards.

“Did you ever consider that it’s because they’re… ya know… frogs?” Prompto teased as he followed carefully behind Noct on this little adventure Sania had set before them.

“You’re hilarious,” Noct deadpanned, growling as another mosquito swooped down to avenge his fallen brethren only to meet just as grim a fate by the Kings hand. “And what is with these bugs?! Why don’t they go after you?!”

“Because when Mama Ignis told me to put on bug spray  _ I _ listened,” Prompto said, pointing to himself with his thumb as he puffed out his chest proudly. “You, on the other hand, were too busy trying to make sure your tackle box had those new cactuar lures because we  _ both _ know you thought you’d get to fish. Which, surprise surprise, you can’t do in a bog.”

“There could be fish in there!” Noct tried to argue, looking out into the murky water only to watch as a giant bubble of swamp gas burbled up and belched into the air.

“... if there’s a fish living in  _ that _ then he is a monster and should probably be left alone,” Prompto said honestly before gagging and covering his nose as the scent of the rancid swamp gas finally wafted over to them. “Blegh! Scratch that! If a fish is living in there it’s probably a daemon and we  _ definitely  _ need to leave it alone!”

Noct nodded quickly as his own hands came up to cover his nose, his eyes watering from the smell now surrounding them. “Oh… oh my gods… did the swamp just  _ die?! _ ” he gasped, waving one hand in the air to hopefully dispel some of the smell and succeeding in sending it back toward Prompto.

“Dude! Not cool!” Prompto cried, retching slightly as he turned tail and fled from the smell.

“It’s not like I did it!” Noct argued, trying to get away quickly as well, only to find himself listing forward as his upper half moved but his legs refused.

Arms wheeling in the air like a windmill, Noct failed to keep his balance and fell forward regardless of his valiant attempts. His hands sank into the squishy swamp mud, the force of which sent a good few glops splattering onto his face. “UGH!”

Prompto turned just in time to see the almost faceplant and honestly after getting bog gas wafted at him he found himself giggling at the swampy vengeance.

“That’s what you get for being terrible!” Prompto called from the firmer footing near the edge of the swamp. “Now come on! I think I heard something croaking over by that willow!” Turning on his heel Prompto began to walk away, leaving a glowering Noct to try and stand up.

“Hey! Wait for me!” he called, pausing a moment as he realized what Prompto had implied about his fate. “And I didn’t do anything!” When all he got back was a cackle Noct decided that as soon as he caught up with his friend he was going to give him the swampiest hug of his life! Once more he made to step forward and almost immediately repeated what he’d just done. His body tipping forward as his legs stayed firmly cemented in the…

“Uuuugh!” Noct groaned, looking down at the mud now encasing his boots and around his shins. He only just stopped himself from running his hands through his hair in agitation considering they were covered in mud, dead plants and whatever else the bog had claimed as its victim. “Prompto! Hey Prom! Come back! I… I think I’m stuck!”

“What?” Prompto’s voice called from somewhere in the thicket of the surrounding forest.

“I’m stuck!” Noct shouted back, reaching down to try and somehow yank his own leg out of the muck and mire.  
  
It wasn’t until he heard a shuttering click that he knew Prompto was back and he groaned, looking up to find his friend with the biggest smile on his face and his camera in hand. “.... really?”

“What? You  _ know _ that I have to document our adventures no matter what!” he teased, only just keeping a giggle out of his voice.

Noct was less than impressed. “Is that so? Where was this camera when you got poison ivy on your butt? Or the time you spilled curry on your pants? Or the time you kissed your Chocobo?”  
  
“That was  _ one _ time! And I was asleep!” Prompto squawked back, his cheeks going pink at the memory. “And don’t think I don’t know that Gladio took a picture of that moment!”

This time Noct did laugh, smiling innocently. “I’ve no idea what you’re talking about? Gladio? Do something like that? Oh what will the Shield of Lucis think when I tell him what you think of him?”

Prompto squeaked at that and shook his head, waving his arms wildly in front of him “Nonono! Don’t say anything! Then he’ll definitely be on the hunt for more embarrassing photos!”

Shaking his head at his Prompto’s reaction, Noct pretended to give a deep hum of thought. “Well… if you can stop taking embarrassing photos of me and help me get out of here, I’ll consider it,” he said with a nod, causing Prompto to grumble even as he dismissed his camera back into the armiger. 

“You’re a real stick in the mud, you know that?” Prompto mumbled though he smiled at the word play and glanced around for some sort of vine or stick for Noct to grab a hold of.

“Oh my god! You’ve been hanging out with Specs too much,” Noct said with a light smile making Prompto chuckle as he knocked a stick against a rock to test its strength.

“More like not enough. He would’ve had at least seven bog and mud induced puns at the ready,” the gunner joked, trying to carefully make his way closer to Prince, picking his way along the more sturdy edges of the swamp. 

Noct contemplated that as he tried to twist a little to better face Prompto as he moved. “I mean… you’re not wrong. He would’ve been having a field day here,” he said, imagining Ignis with that look of slight disapproval at his mistake mixed with delight at such an easy target to tease. For all that people thought they knew about Ignis, no one ever pegged him for having a wicked teasing streak.

“Yeah. He probably would’ve said something like… ‘ _ Oh Noct… I do hope you aren’t feeling ‘bogged’ down.’”  _ Prompto said, pitching his voice a little lower and trying to go for Tenebrean, but hitting something that sounded more like the worlds most obnoxious snobbish royal.

Noct instantly snorted into a ridiculous laugh and shook his head. “A-Astrals that’s terrible!” Noct laughed, shaking his head. “Besides you didn’t add enough  _ Iggy  _ into it.”

“Oh? Well then go ahead, master of impressions. How would Ignis respond?” Prompto chuckled, looking down at his feet as he finally found what he considered to be as a good a place as any to brace himself.

Noct hummed in thought for a moment before puffing his chest out a bit and putting his hands on his hips, one of his hands coming up to push up non-existent glasses. “ _ Noctis, do you know how terribly terrible those stains are going to be to get out? _ ” he spoke, his own voice tipped into a deeper Tenebrean accent that sounded like a drunk version of Ignis.

Prompto instantly burst into a cackle at the sound, the force of his laughter making him hunch over and needing the support of his rescue stick to keep him upright. “O-Oh my gahahads! What was thahat?! It w-wasn’t even a pun! You were j-just berating yourself!” Prompto wheezed.

Noct couldn’t help laughing a bit as well and smiled over at his best friend. “What?! Tell me I’m wrong!” he called over Prompto’s laughter. “And you know that’s what I’m gonna hear when I get out of here! ‘ _ Oh Noctis, what am I going to do with these socks? That’s it! Vegetables for a week! Beans and shame for you! _ ’”

Prompto was crying he was laughing so hard, sending Noctis into a giggle fit of his own, though once he had enough breath he couldn’t help adding to the banter.

_ “Noctis Lucis Caelum! How dare you ‘swamp’ me with all this cleaning?” _

_ “Noctis, this is ‘moss’ unbecoming of a royal!” _

_ “Oh Noct, I can only ‘lichen’ you to a bog monster right now!” _

_ “‘Marsh’ you be so messy?” _

“Come now, surely I don’t sound that harsh?” a cool and accented voice broke through the laughing fit the two younger men were having and it was like they had been visited by Shiva herself and frozen in time.

Turning to look up at a small incline that led to the swamp, Prompto and Noct were both met with a rather unamused looking Adviser and a slightly smirking Shield.

Quickly, Noct ducked down, starting to dig his hands into the muck around his legs and startling Prompto. “Noct?! Dude, what are you doing!?”

“Digging my own grave, obviously!” he shouted, getting a snort from Gladio which was quickly silenced by another look from Ignis.

“That’s enough,“ Ignis’s voice spoke calmly, but with enough behind the words to still the motion of the other two. “Would someone care to explain what is going on here?”

Prompto turned his head back to Ignis, feeling the color drain from his face as those green eyes locked on him like a Coeurl ready to pounce. “N-Noct’s stuck,” he squeaked, feeling just a little stupid now for holding onto the stick he’d found to rescue the prince.

Ignis arched an eyebrow at this and turned his attention back to the young Prince who had finally stopped digging in the mud and was looking anywhere but at them with his arms crossed over his chest. “Is that true, Noct?” he asked.

“..... maybe,” Noct mumbled petulantly, mostly a front to hide how embarrassed he was over the fact that he really was stuck and also how he felt a bit of guilt for making fun of Ignis without him knowing.

“I see. Well. While I’m sure you both have an  _ extensive _ knowledge of what I would say in a time like this, let me impart a bit of advice. Just three simple words,” he said, his voice eerily calm in a way that had Prompto and Noct shrinking back a little. “Noct can warp.”

And with that, the Adviser turned on his heel and headed back towards the direction of the haven, leaving Gladio still standing on the small hill. The man looked down at the both of them and shook his head.

“And let me impart three little words as well,” the Shield said, lifting his hand and counting off the words on his fingers. “You. Fucked. Up.” With that he turned and followed the same path the Adviser had just taken.

Noct stood there for a moment, watching his two advisers… his  _ friends…  _ leave. In that moment he felt more gross than any swamp gas bubble.

“You made Mama Ignis mad at me!” Prompto shouted from the sidelines, snapping Noct out of his thoughts as he turned to see a flushed and angry looking Prompto glaring at him.

“What?! You’re literally the one who started it!” Noct shouted back, narrowing his own eyes and watching as Prompto huffed at that.

“I was joking about his puns! You were making him sound mean!”

Noct opened, closed then opened his mouth again only to close it for a second time. After a moment he sighed, letting his shoulders droop. “I was,” Noct said after a moment, rubbing a hand on his arm and shaking his head.

Prompto’s glare slowly fell at that and he ran a hand through his blond hair. “Yeah well… so was I. I just… don’t like upsetting Iggy. He doesn’t deserve that. And… we  _ really  _ do have terrible Tenebrean accents, dude.”

Noct winced at that, realizing that not only had they both teased Ignis behind his back, but they’d also made him sound like  _ that. _ Oh god, did Ignis think that’s how they saw him?!

Noct groaned and ran two muddy hands over his face, not really caring anymore what he looked like. “We gotta make this right. We  _ will  _ make this right _. _ ”

Prompto gave a little smile at that and nodded. “Yeah. We will. But uh… you might want to get out of there first. I can’t believe we didn’t think about you warping out.”

This time Noct groaned for a different reason and dropped his hands. “That’s because we were too busy being idiots. Specs always has our backs… even when we mess up.”

That knowledge only strengthened his resolve as he picked up a glob of mud, readying it to lob toward the edge of the bog.

Once he was free… they were going to make this right.

**\---------------------------------  
  
  
**

“I thought your clothes were supposed to warp with you?” Prompto said as they made their way back toward camp. Nocts boots, trousers and one sock now trophies to the swamp.

“Yeah well… so did I. I wasn’t focusing properly,” Noct grumbled a little as Prompto giggled, but soon he felt a soft bump to his shoulder and he glanced over to see the gunner smiling gently at him.

“It’ll be okay, Noct. We can right this with Iggy,” he promised, making the Prince give him a small smile in return.

However, as they got closer to the camp, both of them could hear Gladio and Ignis talking. It looked like they were both facing Ignis’s camp stove, their backs turned to them as they neared and unaware of their presence.

“Iggy? It’s okay,” Gladio said, his voice soft making Noct and Prompto frown as they glanced at each other.

”No. It’s not,” Ignis’s clipped tone answered back, shoulders hunching a little. “It’s not okay. It’s not alright. It’s not  _ fine. _ ”

Prompto and Noctis paused as they watched Gladio frown, his hand coming up to rest against the Adviser’s back. “It is. Or… at least it will be, right?”

Noct definitely frowned at that. Of course it was going to be okay!

Ignis’s shoulders slumped and he shook his head. “I don’t think so. I’ve ruined it.”

What?! Their friendship?! No, no! Noct couldn’t believe what he was hearing!  _ He _ was the one that had ruined everything!

Gladio ducked his head a little, his hand coming up to hold onto Ignis’s shoulder and gently moved him so the man would look him in the eyes. “Hey. None of that. You haven’t ruined anything, I promise,” he tried to reassure, but the way Ignis turned his head away showed how little he believed in Gladio’s words.

“It appears I can’t do anything right today,” the Adviser whispered and then… and  _ then _ , to Noct and Prompto’s horror they watched as he brought his hand up, wiping at his eyes.

They.

Fucked.  
  
Up.

“Iggy NO!” Prompto shouted, darting ahead and startling Noct, Gladio and Ignis, the latter two both turning to look with bewilderment as Prompto raced toward the haven.

Noct watched for another second before his mind caught up and he took off as well, his chest feeling heavier than he’d ever felt it before. “Ignis please, I’m sorry!” he shouted, quickly clambering up the rocky face of the haven to get to where Gladio and Ignis still stood stock still.

Prompto was the first to get to him and quickly wrapped his arms around Ignis, burying his face against the man’s chest. “I’m so-OOF!” His words died on his lips as he soon felt Noct running into them as well. Sadly, Prompto’s first attack had left Ignis unbalanced and so with Nocts extra force there was no stopping them tumbling back and into a giant heap on the haven floor.

“Wh-what’s gotten into you tw-!” Ignis began before being silenced by a litany of apologies.

“Ignis I am so, so sorry for what I was saying back there and it wasn’t fair or funny of me to make fun of you like that!” Noct spoke quickly.

“Yeah! What he said, Iggy! I never meant to upset you and you  _ know _ we don’t think of you like that!”

“Guys?” Gladio began, but paused as Ignis shot him a look before glancing back at the two still hovering over him with the most earnest faces he’s ever seen.

“You really mean that?” the Adviser asked and Prompto and Noct instantly nodded.

“You’re the best, Specs. I’d literally still be in the swamp if you hadn’t showed up!” Noct tried to explain.

“Exactly! Did you see what I was trying to use to save him? A stick, Iggy. A stick!!!” Prompto lamented, covering his face with his hands.

“I hope you know that you haven’t ruined anything,” Noct spoke up again, leaning back a little and nudging Prompto to do the same so that they weren’t crushing Ignis. “We… we were just being stupid, ya know? Teasing and joking, but it was unfair to do that and about those things. You are only ever looking out for me.”

Prompto nodded as well, giving Ignis a small smile. “Not to mention you also have some of the best puns. We never meant to make you feel bad or like you ruined anything. I’m sorry we made you feel that way, Iggy.”

Ignis looked between the two of them, the equal looks of uncertainty and worry still in their eyes and as they moved back he slowly sat up as well, rubbing his lower back a little. “While it definitely isn’t fun to walk up on two people whom I consider to be my friends talking about me in such a fashion, I can assure you that it would take harsher words then that to truly hurt me. I  _ have _ had to deal with the Council since I was sixteen, remember?” he asked, looking between the two as they ducked their heads a little.

“Still… you shouldn’t have to compare us to the Council in terms of how much we hurt you,” Noct mumbled, still unable to look up at Ignis, Prompto nodding from the other side of Ignis where he still knelt.

With a little shake of his head, Ignis leaned forward, resting his hands on both of their shoulders, giving them a soft squeeze. “What I was trying to say is that I’m  _ fine _ . I promise. And I really did find some of those puns to be good, though the accent was a bit offensive,” he conceded, watching as they both turned their heads so quickly toward him he thought they were going to snap something in their necks.

“But… but you… you said that things weren’t alright?!” Noct quickly tried to explain.

“You looked so sad! And… and you were crying!” Prompto pointed out before jumping as he heard Gladio let out a bark of laughter from behind them. “What’s so funny?! We hurt Ignis!”

The man in question shook his head with an almost fond sort of exasperation on his face. “While I appreciate that you two were so quick and so willing to right your wrong, I’m afraid to say that my lamenting was over what we are having for dinner.”   
  
“... what?!”  
  
Ignis chuckled a little and brought a hand up to cover his mouth. “My apologies. I was working on a new recipe before we realized you two had been gone too long. By the time we got back it had already overcooked and needless to say after trying it again it just… wasn’t coming together quite how I wanted,” he explained, watching as dismay appeared over their faces. “As for the tears you can attribute those to some rather pungent wild onions. As I said before it would take more than what you two sa-..!”   
  
Ignis was knocked back once more as Noct and Prompto launched at him, enveloping him into the biggest hug he could remember.

“I’m sorry if I made you two worry,” he said quietly, but was instantly silenced by two pairs of eyes looking up at him with slight annoyance.

“No… you don’t get to apologize. We messed up. And  _ we’re _ sorry,” Noct reassured and Prompto followed it up with a nod before hugging him a little tighter.

“Can you ever forgive us, Mama Ignis?” Prompto asked, and Ignis really couldn’t stop a snort of laughter from escaping, making the other two relax a little at such an honest reaction.

“Of course. I forgave you both before I even made it back here,” he said with a nod. “Now, while I really do appreciate the hugs I think it’s best if I get up and get cleaned up considering Noct has decided to honor me with a bog hug.”

Noct instantly squawked as he sat back in horror, realizing that he had indeed coated the Adviser in mud and schmutz. “Oh Astrals, I’m so sorry, Specs,” he apologized again, only stopping as Ignis sat up with another chuckle.

“It’s fine, Noctis. I assure you,” he said, carefully getting back to his feet as Prompto and Noct followed suit. “It’s nothing a little soak in some... ,” His words stalled out as he finally took in the other two. “Noct… where… how… what..,”

Gladio snickered a little at the look of confusion, walking over to Ignis and wrapping an arm around his waist as he looked at the Prince. “I think what Ignis is trying to ask is… what happened to your pants?”   
  
Noct looked down, face turning red as he remembered where they now resided.

“... the bog ate them,” he said quietly, the campsite quiet for only a few beats before a snort from Ignis shattered the silence.

The poor Adviser was laughing so hard he was squeaking, having to take off his glasses to wipe tears of mirth from his eyes.

Gladio, meanwhile, was chuckling beside his partner and turned to look back at the other two. “I think you broke him,” he teased, getting a small swat from Ignis who still was trying desperately to stop laughing, but was failing miserably. One look at Noctis had him wheezing again and turning away with an apology as he continued to laugh.

Noctis couldn’t help smiling at that and shook his head. No. If anything he felt he had finally fixed things. And if that meant standing like a pantless bog monster to get his friend to laugh then it was worth it.   
  
_ Click _ _  
_ _  
_ “Prom!”

“I told you I have to document  _ everything! _ And Ignis cry laughing over you in your underpants is top tier material!”   


Still worth it.   



End file.
